VMware Cloud Community
Chdecarl01
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

Server 2012 R2 on ESXi 5.1

I am building a test lab and I have successfully installed Server 2012 R2 but I am unable to activate it.  During the activation process I receive an slmgr error "0xc004fd01" and when you google that you get nothing.  So I ran the command "slui 0x2a 0xc004fd01" and received the details "Windows isn't running on a supported Microsoft Hyper-V Virtualization Platform".  I have never seen a Windows OS basically prevent it from being activated on VMware.  Has anyone got a workaround for this as I'd like to try Server 2012 R2 to test its new features out and just find it bizarre that I could only use it on Hyper-V.

Capture.PNG

Reply
0 Kudos
1 Solution

Accepted Solutions
dariusd
VMware Employee
VMware Employee
Jump to solution

Hi Chdecarl01,

Thanks for reporting this issue.  What's the nature of the product key you're using to activate the guest?  The Automatic Virtual Machine Activation (AVMA) keys from the TechNet article on Automatic Virtual Machine Activation could be expected to throw an error like this unless the guest is being run inside Hyper-V.

Cheers,

--

Darius

View solution in original post

Reply
0 Kudos
3 Replies
ScreamingSilenc
Jump to solution

Welcome to the Community

As per VMware GOS Compatibility Guide Windows 2012 is well supported on ESXi 5.1 but Windows 2012 R2 is still not in support list.

VMware Compatibility Guide: Guest/Host Search

Thanks

Please consider marking this answer "correct" or "helpful" if you found it useful.
Reply
0 Kudos
Chdecarl01
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

Its not a VMWare issue though.  Its more of a Microsoft issue (i reported this to technet forums too) as its not activating with Microsoft.  Just posting this in case VMWare is aware that Microsoft is building their future products to purposefully block VMWare from hosting it which might be the future "knife" to force people to start using Hyper-v for Server 2012 R2 and future server products since they won't activate on VMWare.  Again, it installs OK so its not a VMWare issue........just won't activate.  I was curious if anyone else has run into this and if there is a workaround to trick Server 2012 R2 to think its on a Hyper-v product.

Reply
0 Kudos
dariusd
VMware Employee
VMware Employee
Jump to solution

Hi Chdecarl01,

Thanks for reporting this issue.  What's the nature of the product key you're using to activate the guest?  The Automatic Virtual Machine Activation (AVMA) keys from the TechNet article on Automatic Virtual Machine Activation could be expected to throw an error like this unless the guest is being run inside Hyper-V.

Cheers,

--

Darius

Reply
0 Kudos